Di Francesco's pre-Lazio press conference in full

The game gets underway at 18:00 CET.

JOURNALIST: How have the three Italian internationals (De Rossi, Florenzi, El Shaarawy) been after their World Cup disappointment and how do you think that will affect them ahead of the derby?

DI FRANCESCO: "Two of them are from Rome so they’ll be even more motivated for the game. I hope they’re able to bounce back after missing out on World Cup qualification. I’d like to see them showcase all the competitive spirit, guile and pride synonymous with Roman players."

How are the internationals in general and what update is there on Radja Nainggolan and Patrik Schick?

"Players always come back from international duty with the odd niggle, but generally speaking they’re all in good shape. They only linked back up with the group yesterday, but overall I’m happy. We’ll look at Nainggolan today and tomorrow and decide whether he’s available for the derby.

"Schick won’t be in the squad – he’s improving his fitness and coming back gradually, but as I’ve said he’ll let us know when he’s ready to return to group training, otherwise that won’t be happening on my watch. I don’t want to risk any more setbacks."

The derby will be watched right around the world tomorrow, with lots of fans expected at the stadium too. Do you have a message for them?

"I believe that sport should unite, not divide, regardless of whether it’s a derby or not, but of course I hope Rome win. I was really moved by the affection shown by fans around Italy to mark the tenth anniversary of the passing of Gabriele Sandri. That's what sport is all about: I hope tomorrow is a celebration of sportsmanship and that Roma get the win."

How excited are you about your first derby as Roma coach?

"I’ll be really excited because the derby isn’t like any other match for me and that’ll be especially true now I’m the coach. It will be tough because players have the good fortune of being able to show their hunger and desire to play the match on the pitch, while it’s a bit different for coaches because you depend on others more.

"It’s going to be my toughest derby ever, but I’m really pleased to be involved. It’ll be a great game – both teams are in a very good position both in terms of their form and their league standing."

What should Roma be worried about when it comes to facing Lazio?

"Well, you can see that they’ve caused teams problems because of the sheer number of points they’ve put together despite having played a game less. They have the quality they need to manage games well and then quickly go more direct. [Ciro] Immobile is a very good striker when it comes to attacking the space. Even with Italy, where there wasn’t much space, he was the most dangerous player in terms of getting in behind them. We need to keep a close eye on him because he’s their most dangerous player – he’s Lazio’s main weapon. His stats are impressive."

Aleksandar Kolarov can expect an interesting reception. How is he feeling?

"He’s fine. The other day I hurt my leg and he cracked a joke – he said: "It’s me who played for Lazio, not you, coach!" It’ll be a unique game for him, but he has great strength and bags of character so I’m sure he’ll play to his best."

How much of a bearing does the league table have on this game?

"It is a factor but I prefer to take the league table out of it and experience it as a one-off match, a really important one. Just the way our fans like to look at it – that’s how it should be. It’s not like other games, but can give us that boost we need to continue moving forward. We’ll play for the three points but we need to keep an eye on the tactics so we contain Lazio on the break. That said, we have to stay true to our game."

Where is Schick feeling pain?

"He’s not in pain. He’s had this fibrosis, which he’s trying to resolve, because his muscles need to be in peak condition. When you have that kind of fibrosis, the risk is that you trigger other injuries. The doctor and I decided to get him back to full fitness and then bring him straight back into the fold when he’s ready. Not everyone recovers in the same way – this is a physical and emotive issue.

"I’ve asked him and the medical team to tell me when he thinks he’s in peak condition. He is training, though. Sometimes he joins in with the group for fitness stuff, without the ball. He’s doing well, but I want him to be in optimum condition before he can come back to us."

In your opinion, what is the next step for Italian football? How are the players that missed out on World Cup qualification?

"I’d like to see us launch reserve teams. If we want to develop young players without making excuses about there being too many foreign players, it’s important that we do the best job possible with them and ensure they receive comprehensive training in terms of physical preparation and character development. They need to have the necessary grounding so that they can make the step up to the first team.

"It’s really important that that becomes part of the process. You shouldn’t always have to get loaned out all over the place – if players were able to play in reserve teams, they’d be able to make that step up. As for my players, the great thing about football is that it always gives you a chance to bounce back in the next game, so I hope we get a famous win. I just try to motivate them for the good of Roma – the lads are desperate to bounce back.

Would you take a draw?

"I’d never say that. That’s not a good attitude to start out with. I’d never say something like that to my team because they’d end up settling – their mentality wouldn’t be as competitive. We’re trying to develop the team and they’re doing well. I can assure you that we’re not going to change anything for this game. I would never ask my players to play for a draw. After the Chelsea game in London, we said it was a great draw but that we’d played to win. When you’re trying to build a mentality, you have to convey it at all times."

You’ve always picked only those players that are 100% fit. Can Nainggolan get there in time or would you consider playing a player whose fitness is at 80% for the derby?

"Unlike many players, he can be effective even when he’s only 80% fit. I’ll keep an eye on it but I think I will pick him if he’s 90% fit. I hope that I get some good news today and tomorrow because I’d like to play him."

The derby is a special game. What would you give to get the win?

"I’ll do everything I can to win it with my team. We want to give everything we have – that’s something we have to do for the fans, who are giving us amazing support. It’s been really important to have the Roma fans back at the stadium and I don’t want to let them down."

People often draw parallels between you and Simone Inzaghi. What do you have in common?

"He’s younger than me and we’ve had different career paths. I’ve praised him in the past for the way he manages a group, deals with the environment around the club and gets into the heads of his players. We do have some similarities. Our football is different but the way we motivate and manage our teams is quite similar."

Who would your pick be for the next Italy manager?

"I don’t have a preference. All I want to see is them adopt a certain way of working and that goes beyond the role of coach. We need objectives and new infrastructure. There are plenty of coaches in Italy, so I don’t have a specific name. It’s easy to say [Carlo] Ancelotti because of the experience he has – he’s a big name and that carries a level of guarantee. I don’t want to back anyone in particular but I like Ancelotti. I don’t want this process to become a political thing – we need tangible action. I hope the coaches get their ideas listened to. It’s going to take time."

Would you have resigned?

"Speaking about the national team right now is just adding fuel to the flames. I’m fully focused on the derby. We’re all the owners of our own destinies – we’re responsible for our choices, but you have to experience these things first hand. I might have resigned, but I’d be more interested in listening to what the plans were and what they were proposing. That said, I have plenty to think about right now."

If Nainggolan does miss out, will that influence your decisions in attack?

"The decision around Nainggolan isn’t linked to any other players or what I’ll decide to do in attack."

On a technical level, who is better out of Roma and Lazio?

"I think both teams deserve to be where they are. Everyone says that we’re the better team, but I don’t think Lazio have made very many mistakes at all in the past few years in terms of signings and young players. They make some great decisions and do fantastic work behind the scenes. Take [Sergej] Milinkovic-Savic, for example. They have some great players, like Immobile. They’ve always bought the right players and replaced departures well. I think the two teams are evenly matched – the stats back that up."

What do you make of Bruno Conti saying that you’ve brought a Roman identity back to Rome? Luciano Spalletti often spoke about building a Roma style. How is that coming along?

"The Roma style is being built from the top down. The club is trying to do things right. I was proud to hear what Bruno said about me. I feel like an important part of the club – I feel a part of Roma. I try to convey love and enthusiasm to the team and everything around the club."